Circular Quay’s cruising terminal is set to receive a $22 million upgrade starting from May 2014.
NSW Roads and Ports Minister Duncan Gay today revealed plans to upgrade Sydney’s Overseas Passenger Terminal (OPT) and extend the wharf towards Campbell’s Cove, a project that will increase the total value of the upgrade to $49 million.
This announcement is a boon to an industry that generated $1.024 billion in economic activity in the last financial year with 970, 560 passenger days spent in port in Sydney.
The renovations will enable better passenger flow through the building and will allow larger ships, such as the Queen Mary 2, to dock at the OPT.
The news is not all good. Transport and Tourism (TTF) Deputy Chief Executive Trent Zimmerman said, “While this upgrade will allow bigger ships to use the OPT and improve passenger facilities at the terminal, it will not address the looming shortage of berth space in Sydney.
“The OPT is currently the only accessible terminal for large cruise ships. In the next three years a third of all cruise ships visiting Sydney will be unable to fit under the Harbour Bridge to access the White Bay Cruise Terminal.”
The upgrade has also affected businesses that have been operating in the OPT. Popular Japanese restaurant, The Ocean Room, will cease trading in its current site in April due to the news of the construction.
